(CNN) - Sen. Ted Cruz was greeted by a screaming crowd of supporters and cheers of "Thank you Ted!" and "Welcome Home!" Monday night in Texas.

The freshman senator said he was happy to be back home in Houston, and wasn't afraid to be honest about his feelings on Washington.

"It is terrific to be back in America," said Cruz as supporters waved homemade signs promoting "#MakeDCListen," a hashtag that was a prominent part of Cruz's 21-hour speech on the Senate floor in late September.

In the opinion of many on Capitol Hill, Democrats and Republicans, that speech was the kick-off of an irresponsible and destructive campaign to defund Obamacare at the risk of all else.

With the White House and Congress unable to settle their budgetary differences, the federal government was partially shut down for more than two weeks, and came very close to running out of money to pay its bills.

Cruz's colleagues in the Senate didn't stay quiet. "It was a fool's errand to start with. It was never going to succeed," Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union."

On CBS's "Face the Nation," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, said, "Shutting down the government, in my view, is not conservative policy."

Catherine had announced at a family outing that she wanted to grow up to work in the Senate "like daddy." However, Cruz's other daughter, Caroline, immediately dismissed that as "boring." She also pointed out the fact that "by then daddy will be dead anyways."

Cruz went on to say, "I kind of wondered if Caroline had been talking to Republican leadership in Washington, if she knew something I didn't know."

If this isn't evidence enough that Cruz isn't too concerned with the "voices in Washington," when asked whether he was hoping to repair his relationships with Republican leaders, Cruz laughed. "I don't work for the party bosses in Washington. I work for 26 million Texans."
Ted Cruz won't rule out another shutdown, aide tells CNN

The deal that ended the shutdown and raised the debt ceiling was passed with 87 House Republicans joining 197 Democrats to vote 'Yea' and 144 Republicans voting 'Nay.'

"We didn't ultimately win this battle," said Cruz. "But listen, no one in this room started this fight thinking it would be easy. We all knew that if we took on the Washington establishment the establishment would fight back."

Cruz assured the crowd that the past two months had seen enormous progress and that if they "follow the model" of grass-roots campaigns and citizen engagement they would "change the debate" in Washington.

Movements such as the constituent support of Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul's filibuster on drones, and the backlash against gun control legislation after the shooting in Newtown, Cruz said, were evidence of effective campaigns Democrats and the White House were forced to listen to.

Cruz said the message of the rally was clear: Texans and the American people don't want Obamacare and they're fed up with Congress.

But for all his talk of blowing off the party bosses, Cruz acknowledged that success for the Republicans lay with a unified message.

"I'm hopeful, with a little bit of time and reflection, that Senate Republicans will decide to come together again," Cruz said.

"I would love to see Republican unity, to see all of us stand together against this train wreck that is Obamacare and with the American people."

soundoff(789 Responses)

Michele

Cruz is sub-human, as are his followers and proponents. I think denying evolution somehow slows that very process, which leaves radical Xtians and the entire Tea Party solidly in the Neanderthal stage of development.

October 22, 2013 10:18 am at 10:18 am |

Tom Legare

Cruz does not work for 26 million Texans because I'm positive likely half that amount hate his guts! You can't be a real leader if you only support or have the support of half the people. He's a nut case!

October 22, 2013 10:18 am at 10:18 am |

Danyl

When is Texas going to secede? They keep threatening to do so, and we keep hoping they will.

October 22, 2013 10:19 am at 10:19 am |

The Black Ted Cruz

I'm going to be just like Mr. Ted Cruz the future President of the United States of America

October 22, 2013 10:22 am at 10:22 am |

rs

Amazing to see TEA Party people celebrating the huge waste of taxpayer dollars, and the further ruination of the economy by these tin-pot dictators. Some "patriots", eh?

October 22, 2013 10:22 am at 10:22 am |

JSG

It is well know that Ted Cruz was born in Calgary, Alberta, CANADA. As such, he could never be President.

October 22, 2013 10:24 am at 10:24 am |

Dallas

Perhaps we can't fix this mess until 2018 when we can get rid of this lunatic unless we can recall him. If the media would just ignore him perhaps he would just fade into the woodwork. This is a dangerous man who has no place in national politics.

October 22, 2013 10:26 am at 10:26 am |

Bill

It's fine from my perspective if Cruz wants to speak for "26 million Texans", but I would certainly appreicate it if he doesn't lump me into his camp by saying "Texans AND American people don't want Obamacare..." I am an American and I don't want anyone that I didn't vote for assuming they speak for me.

October 22, 2013 10:26 am at 10:26 am |

texasnotea

The tea party could have invested the same time and money to FIX health care instead of on hate and fear and mis truths. Ask a tea party member WHY,if they love America as much as they say they do, did they not try to be part of the solution instead of the problem? They agree the health care system is broken but NEVER offer any real alternative that is reasonable. Of the twenty six million residents of Texas, I would wager twenty three million DO NOT support Rafael Cruz and the tea party. A proud Texan for common sense and compromise!

October 22, 2013 10:30 am at 10:30 am |

The Real Tom Paine

-"If this isn't evidence enough that Cruz isn't too concerned with the "voices in Washington," when asked whether he was hoping to repair his relationships with Republican leaders, Cruz laughed. "I don't work for the party bosses in Washington. I work for 26 million Texans."
******************
Wrong. Your job title is " United States Senator", meaning you work for over 300 million of us. Now, I know its hard for Ted to wrap his blinkered little mind around this fact, but he also works for people from NY, CA, IL, FL, and they do get the opportunity to give him a job review in the next midterm election, While we can't fire him, we can certainly take out our resentment and anger on every one of his colleagues OUTSIDE of Texas and flush the diseased waste of space and money called the Tea Party out: too bad the GOP will think its getting an enema with lava, but if that's what it takes to remove the toxic waste built up in our body politic, lets do it.

October 22, 2013 10:30 am at 10:30 am |

Marie MD

Any word on the canadian's ethics violation that he "forgot" after being told he had to declare money he gave to an overseas equity firm?
I want to hear more about this CNN and everyone else out there.

October 22, 2013 10:31 am at 10:31 am |

ARMYCSM

Cruising with Cruz is bad for the republicants but, they are so hell bent on destroying the embryo of a new America that this reality will not be realized until about 7 Nov 16.

October 22, 2013 10:32 am at 10:32 am |

moxjox

article SHOULD have read:
"It is terrific to be back in AMERIKA," said Cruz.
– – – – –
So, when is Texas seceding from the US?

October 22, 2013 10:35 am at 10:35 am |

Jeff - Sarasota, FL

The part that amazes me the most is how the government was shutdown for a couple weeks and it cost billions of dollars and when it was all said and done the GOTP got NOTHING, NOTHING at all but a 2 weeks government shutdown at a multi-billion expense to the tax payers they are supposed to represent... How is that Ted Cruz winning and doing what he was elected to do... Unless he was elected to shut the government down for nothing and cost the taxpayers billions...

And all the GOTP people thinking they accomplished something... It just cracks me up...

The GOPT base... Simple minded with the motto "Ignorance is Bliss"...

October 22, 2013 10:35 am at 10:35 am |

Just a Guy

Tea-party folks like Cruz are fond of saying that they live in "real" America, as if the rest of us live in some alternative America that somehow isn't real. But the America that I live it has room enough for lots of different opinions and lots of different approaches and I would not have the arrogance to say that I live in the real America because of my point of view. We all live in the Real America and its time that the tea-party and other right wingers figure that out.

October 22, 2013 10:36 am at 10:36 am |

obawendon

He keeps saying he is stating what the American People want. He is not. He may be convinced people in his district want Obamacare repealed, but it is not what ALL Americans want. Sadly, he and others are still spreading a log of misinformation regarding the program. ACA is not perfect and will need considerable tweaking to become quality, but it is not the crazy things so many are saying. The insurance industry is playing games and that needs to be dealt with, but ACA has terrific potential.

October 22, 2013 10:37 am at 10:37 am |

notahistorianbut

Saw a post where someone went through significant analysis. The tea-party elected members represent approximately 18% of the populous; based on the shutdown – even fewer real Americans support their cause; and I agree with Bill and others – Canadian Cruz does NOT speak or represent me.

October 22, 2013 10:38 am at 10:38 am |

Malory Archer

cjb

Those that hate on Ted Cruz do so because they are scared of him – just like Ronald Reagan. He is getting the support of the people and that is threatening to you.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

He's got the support of the people in his district and a handful outside. In other words, a very tiny microcosm of a a fraction of America. Imagine what a cluster#^(k D.C. would be if every congressperson on the hill chose to behave the way the canadian born cuban conducts himself – it would be an embarrassment to say the least.

October 22, 2013 10:39 am at 10:39 am |

ritmocojo

Teaxas = New China

October 22, 2013 10:40 am at 10:40 am |

Ken

I'm laughing at all of the Obama trolls on here.

Nothing proves Ted is the real deal more than seeing a bunch of paid trolls go after him online. You guys never say anything substantive, just a bunch of name calling and party line BS.

Ted Cruz is the future of the Republican party. Deal with it marxoid trolls!

-Ken
Laser Guided Loogie

October 22, 2013 10:40 am at 10:40 am |

Dominican mama 4 Obama

@ Lynda
I commented on your earlier post on this Cruz story and the moderators had that post for breakfast I guess.
We're here to educate the willfully stupid I guess, not to communicate with each other and indulge in rational, sane, polite exchanges conducive to forming bonds and expanding our horizons.
And no Trump stories Lynda, he turns my stomach like no one else can!

October 22, 2013 10:41 am at 10:41 am |

guest

Cruz is a great one, indeed. Not a puppet; able to think outside the box for solutions to the Progressive train wreck unfolding before our eyes.

In a day and age when we as the American people need a fresh look at Washington Ted Cruz is certainaily missed the target. He is too cocky and undermines the true foundation of which our forefathers founded this beautiful nation. Ted Cruze is not what the vast majority of Americans need sounding off for his own personal gain. Vote no for Ted Cruze!

October 22, 2013 10:42 am at 10:42 am |

Ted who?

when we're very young, we dream of a world where everything functions exactly to our specifications. fortunately for most of us, we grow up and begin the attempt to change what we don't like through a recognition of the chasm between what we want and what we can have. subsequently, our dreams evolve and we no longer waste time on pipe dreams (e.g., getting rid of all government functions) . cruz sounds very much like a child who refuses to grow up ...